The European Parliament's Calendar Explained

27/08/2014

The European Parliament's short summer recess is over next week, so it's back to business. The Parliament's calendar is colour coded. The colours of the show what's on MEPs' schedule that day. Here we decode it for you!

European Parliament Calendar

Blue - political groups

The political groups in Parliament bring together MEPs coming from different national political parties, sharing the same political stance and affiliations. To establish a political group, 25 different MEPs from at least seven different member states are needed. The Parliament has started this term with seven political groups.

During the political groups’ meeting, MEPs discuss their positions on proposed legislation, to be debated and voted on during plenary. They scrutinise reports from Parliamentary committees, table amendments and agree on a group position.

Pink – committee meetings

Each MEP works in one or more parliamentary committees, dedicated to a particular area of European policy, ranging from foreign affairs to economic issues, equality, education and culture.

Pink weeks are dedicated to committee meetings, the forum where MEPs coming from different political groups discuss draft legislation, propose amendments, consider Commission and Council proposals and draw up reports to be presented to the plenary.

Red – plenary sessions

All this work culminates during Parliament’s plenary sessions, in Strasbourg or Brussels. Plenary sessions, marked red on the calendar, are when MEPs debate important issues, take significant decisions through votes by adopting, amending, or rejecting legislation.

The next plenary session is scheduled for 15-18 September.

Turquoise – work outside Parliament

During turquoise week, MEPs undertake activities outside the Parliament. They work either in their constituency in their home country, where they have the opportunity to interact with their electorate, or in Parliamentary delegations, responsible for maintaining relations with non-EU countries.